Close to two thousand Paranas families avail of 4Ps

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE
February 5, 2010

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  As the month of February opens, close to two thousand families from Paranas town collected their cash subsidy from the program Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) Catbalogan city branch.

On Thursday, the last batch of beneficiaries swelled at the Catbalogan thoroughfares for their purchases of vitamins, school supplies and food items.

Crowd at the leading supermarkets and grocery stores like Lester Lace, Vida Maris and other popular stores swelled to an unusual high, said an employee of nearby Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Some 1,878 families from Paranas town have been given their cash subsidy for the last two quarters of 2009.

Gloria Pabua, 37, from Zone 6 of Paranas poblacion was given a hefty sum of ten thosand pesos for her two high school students, two elementary pupils and three day care toddlers.

“We are just farmers and could barely support our eight children, but we labor hard to send all of them to school,” Gloria narrated in the local dialect as she was spotted by PIA nursing her youngest baby boy in the crowded Imelda Park.

They were surprised that their barangay chairman informed them that they have qualified for the program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

While Gloria had many kids, Victoria Nacario of Barangay Pabanog has only two kids but because of the low income she and husband have from upland farming, it seemed next to impossible to send her two kids to school. Vicky clucthed in her hand the meager share she has from the 4Ps‘ “this is good enough for my two kids’ school needs, ” Vicky said in an interview.

The program, strictly enforces a set of conditions designed in a way as to increase the chances of attaining the goal of poverty reduction.

Compliance to these conditions, said DSWD is regularly monitored and to remain in the program entails compliance.